If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a bit of a detective, then this is the game for you.

An interactive game is about to launch in Essex where you and your team have to work together to solve a deadly mystery.

The company that runs the event is called Cluedupp and they have run hundreds of games across the UK and the US which have been played by tens of thousands of people. Their games are described as like taking part in a "real-life Cluedo game".

The new game coming to Essex is called The Beast of Birkness and it involves tracking down a serial killer by solving a series of clues.

There's a serial killer at large in The Beast of Birkness (Image: Cluedupp)

The Beast of Birkness is taking place in both Brentwood and Southend on one day only in January.

This is the premise of the game, as reported on the Cluedupp Facebook page:

“It’s 1958 and the sleepy village of Birkness near the outskirts of Brentwood is gripped with fear. A serial killer is on the prowl...

“The Beast of Birkness has already murdered three people and another has barely escaped with her life. It’s only a matter of time before the cold-blooded killer strikes again - and only you can stop them!”

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You and your team are part of the murder squad who’ve been drafted in to catch the killer. But you won’t be alone - you’ll have a meeting with convicted serial killer Peter Manuel who is offering you his help in cracking the case as long as he escapes hanging. Will you trust his word or is he just playing with you?

The Beast of Birkness takes place entirely on the award-winning Cluedupp event app, which someone in your team has to download before the game starts. You’ll be sent an induction on the app to get you started and to explain how it works.

You’ll be competing with all the other game players in your area that day to be the first to track down virtual witnesses as you uncover down clues and evidence.

There will be potential murder weapons to find and rule out along the way.

The Beast of Birkness is the new game from Cluedupp (Image: Cluedupp)

The game takes between one and four hours to play, depending on your detective skills. The average team takes around two hours and 20 minutes.

Cluedupp ran another game, called Manhunt, in parts of Essex last year but this one is described as their “hardest virtual detective game yet” and the organisers said they can’t wait for the people of Essex to play it.

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Brentwood

Where: Your secret starting location in Brentwood will be sent to you around a week before the game.

Cost: £36 for a group of up to six

Lots of team dress up when they play (Image: Cluedupp)

Southend

When: Saturday, January 19, 2019

Time: Between 10am - 1pm

Where: Your secret starting location in Southend will be sent to you around a week before the game.

Cost: £36 for a group of up to six

Children under 16 are free and do not count as part of the six team members. It is not designed for groups of children alone but young people often “enjoy getting dressed-up and playing along with the family”.

Lots of people bring their pets along (Image: Cluedupp)

What will you need to play?

According to the Cluedupp team, you will need:

A team of detectives (at least two but up to six players per team)

Access to a Smartphone: Android (Version 5.1 or above) or iPhone (Model 5s or above)

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A spokeswoman for Cluedupp said that their events were the only ones of their kind in the country and they often sell out, so she advised early booking to guarantee a place.

To book The Beast of Birkness in Southend or Brentwood, book on the Cluedupp site.